“We’re not playing politics with potholes” – Pres Ali pushes Georgetown road upgrades

President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali is defending the government’s choice to declare over 50 roads in Georgetown as public roads, stating that the goal is to repair the city’s failing infrastructure, not to score political points.

The designation hands control of these roads to the Ministry of Public Works, which the president said will allow for quicker upgrades and more consistent maintenance.

“We are not taking roads for politics,” he told those gathered at the commissioning of the four-lane Aubrey Barker Public Road on Monday evening. “We are not playing politics with potholes. We are not campaigning with congestion. We are governing.”

President Ali acknowledged that some residents have raised concerns about the central government stepping into what has traditionally been City Hall’s turf, but he brushed aside any suggestion of political motives, pointing instead to the need for long-term planning and stronger delivery.

President Ali supported the call for a City Council led by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic, stating that Georgetown needs leaders who can keep up with the country’s progress.

“If Georgetown is to become the finest city in the Caribbean, then its infrastructure must match that ambition,” he declared. “A modern city cannot run on broken roads. A growing economy cannot move on yesterday’s infrastructure.”

On the current roadworks causing headaches for commuters, the president asked for patience. The detours and delays, he said, are temporary. He noted that works are being rolled out in phases, with traffic management measures in place to ease the disruption, and that engineering standards are not being compromised for speed.

“The traffic you endure today, will become the travel you enjoy tomorrow,” the president declared.

Looking beyond road expansion, he said the government is also weighing bigger transport solutions for the capital, including light rail, expanded bus services, and alternative routes to relieve congestion.

The end goal, he said, is a modern, integrated transport system, one that can keep up with Guyana’s economic growth and improve citizens’ daily lives.